Potter the grand scheme of things

The hype around Harry Potter, to me, is more interesting than the books ever were. I've tried reading the first one, and just didn't like they style, world or the characters, but that doesn't mean I don't admire and respect JK Rowling for the media/public frenzy that the last book in her series has whipped up.

Again there will be thousands of people out at midnight in order to have the book the instant that it comes out, and they will go home and lock themselves away to finish a story that they love before it can be spoiled for them by the internet/idiots (though I do think that there will be some bastard who will go to one of these events, turn to the back page and shout out what happens, but they will have a very short-lived notoriety).

I love that Ms (or Mrs?) Rowling is keeping reading alive for the younger generations, and training the geeks of tomorrow. Granted they will be dressing up as Dumbledore instead of Obi-Wan, and wanting to be with Hermione rather than Leia, but they will be proper, honest-to-God geeks and this makes me happy.

I almost, and this is a seriously big-headed/over-ambitious way of thinking, believe that she is helping train people who will (hopefully. I feel that I need to inject some realism into this statement) be my readers to appreciate the finer points of Geekery and light obsession.

I do salute JK Rowling, I really do. I just don't like her actual books.

Talking about vague career dreams, I feel like I'm getting to the point where I can start trying to get published; I've almost had ADM fully read by another person, and they have loved it so far which is giving me such a confidence boost. All I need is for them to finish and to have a decent discussion with them about what they thought, liked and didn't like, and then make some changes, and I'll be happy to get an agent and enter the world of novels.

It's very... bizarre. It's terrifying, and awesome, and thrilling, to think about actually being published. I bought a book which has a list of agents/publishers, which also explained a lot about the industry, and it has helped me put my potential new career in the cold light of day. I know I won't be getting a major advance, or earning enough to quit my day job, or being published within a few months of trying. My idiotic, naive ideas of instant grandeur have been destroyed.

And yet, I'm excited. I guess I really was born to be a writer, which is a highly bizarre thing to realise. The foreword to the book was all about being a writer, and it felt like the author there had reached into my head and explained to me exactly what I felt about writing. It was exhilarating and breathtaking to feel that.

I'm rambling, and so I shall stop..... now.